MARS Invades Quincy Raceways, Bauer and Neville Lead the Way

    In a rare Friday night program, Quincy Raceways welcomed their annual visit of the cars and stars of the MARS Late Model and Modified touring series. In addition, open B Modifieds, Dirtcar 4 Cylinders and Crown Vics raced in a non points competition. The Late Model headliner would pay a cool $5,000 to win, while the open Mod winner would cash a $2,000 check. In addition, both classes benefit from lap money raised locally, $25 per lap for the leader in their respective features. Even more aggressive fundraising bumped the 4 Cylinder purse, highlighted by a whopping $1,000 to the feature winner as well as extra money throughout.

   Overnight rains threw a monkey wrench into event plans, and upon early arrival it was obvious track personnel had been working hard to get things into shape, particularly the pit area. The north pit where most of the "big rigs" are parked had some swampy areas, but hard work and strategic planning saved the day. As for the racing surface, it was in good condition, although it definitely developed some "character" as the night wore on. All in all, praise is deserved for a job well done!

   Last arriving Derek Fetter capped the Late Model count at twenty three, a number which meant everyone could start the main event. Likewise for the star studded field of nineteen Modifieds. The other three divisions produced just enough entrants for a pair of heat races in each class. 

   The program would kick off at the advertised time of 6:30 in front of a large crowd estimated just under 3,000. Following Late Model hot laps, the Mods did the now popular hot lap/qualifying, with Trevor Neville atop the leader board at 14.186 seconds. St. Jacob, Il. driver Jordon Bauer then began his memorable evening with a quick lap of 13.017 to top the Late Models. 

   Following heat racing for all divisions, the track crew went to work to smooth out a couple of rough spots, and soon it was time for feature racing. With no offense meant to the local classes, it is beneficial in many ways that the travelling series see to it that their features run early in the order, as it is helpful both for track conditions and "crowd control."

   All nineteen MARS Modifieds lined up first for twenty five laps around the roughly .38 mile oval. With fast time and a heat race win in his pocket, Neville would claim the pole position, with the other heat winner, Mike McKinney alongside. As the field exited turn four trying to complete lap one, a huge pile up stopped the action. Damaged cars, some heavily, some not as much, were scattered along the front stretch, with several top contenders including local favorite Michael Long, Tyler Nicely, Cole Falloway, and Jeff Curl done for the night. Another hot shoe with many laps at Quincy, Ray Bollinger, probably wishes he had called it quits as well. Left with a flat tire after the melee, he ducked to the hot pit for a quick change, then rejoined the shortened field. On the next attempt at a start, Bollinger clipped the concrete off turn four, turning his #77 sideways then upside down to bring out the red flag. Fortunately he was uninjured, but with even more damage to his ride. With one lap in the books, the next restart proved less eventful, with Neville rocketing to the lead. As the race stayed green, he would build a comfortable advantage until catching the back of the pack with ten laps to go. Two cars racing side by side for position would slow his momentum, allowing second running McKinney to close the gap. As the leaders sliced and diced through slower cars, a final caution came with five laps remaining. With clear track ahead, Neville now pulled away, cruising to the clean sweep victory. McKinney would roll home second chased by seventh starting Michael Ledford and three Quincy favorites, ninth starting Dave Weitholder, 2025 track champion Justin Reed and twelfth starting Shawn Deering. Zeke McKenzie, track regular John Dimmitt from Macomb, Matthew Baker, and Owen Steinkoenig would complete the top ten. 

   It was now Late Model time and all twenty three would take the green flag for thirty laps. Heat winners Bauer, Dylan Thornton, and former popular track regular Austin Howes would occupy the top three spots. Bauer led the way ahead of the first caution period two laps in for the disabled car of veteran racer Mark Voigt. Back under green, Bauer continued to lead as seventh starting Ryan Unzicker jumped to the top five. The leaders raced nose to tail at high speed, mostly around the top of the quickly blackening track. Bauer would catch the tail of the field about lap twelve, moving efficiently through the slower cars. Things would tighten up, however when a second and final yellow flag came with just six laps remaining. Following the Delaware Style restart it was Unzicker again on the gas, and when Caden McWhorter suffered a pronounced wheel hop off turn two, Ryan gained a pair of spots to third. On the final circuit, Thornton gave it "all she's got," out of turn four, bringing the gathered throng to their feet. But it was Bauer with a slight edge at the line, completing his own sweep in front of the cheering crowd. He collected the $5,000 prize, plus all thirty laps of extra cash. Thornton and Unzicker joined Bauer on the podium, while Daniel Adam was strong, finishing where he started in fourth ahead of sixth starting McWhorter. Jason Feger led the next five followed by Bob Gardner, Howes, Tanner English, and Jake Little. 

   That crowd control aspect now showed as many headed for the exits ahead of the three remaining features. 

   Open B Mods would see their ten car field down to seven by feature time as they raced for eighteen circuits. Visiting A. J. Cline took off from outside row one in what looked like a rout. Local Sport Mod favorite Reed Wolfmeyer advanced to second on lap four, but by then Cline was in another time zone, building a nearly straightaway lead by the mid point. But with zero stoppages, Cline caught a pair of cars racing side by side for position seven laps from the finish. As he looked for room to pass, Wolfmeyer was closing fast, and just three laps later, the #2W would charge to the lead. It would be a non stop eighteen laps, and it was an excited Wolfmeyer who claimed victory. Cline would hold on to second, while former track regular Drake Stevenson came home third ahead of Joshua Christian and weekly competitor Austin McClean. It was also good to see 2025 Crown Vic champion Jake Etter make his debut in this class. 

   I am sure the folks who worked hard to raise the awesome purse for the 4 Cylinders were disappointed in the dozen car turnout, but there were some hot shoes who did take notice. Iowa speedster Jake Benischek made the one hundred fifty plus mile haul from Durant, Iowa, and quickly showed why. Joining Kenny Butterfield as a heat race winner, they would fill out row one and shoot quickly to the front of the eighteen lapper. Dyllan Bonk, a popular local who does his own share of travelling, was racing with the leaders until his #2B suddenly gave up on lap three. The only caution came one lap later, and on the restart another Quincy favorite, Jaden Delonjay, cleared Butterfield for second. Benischek opened a sizable lead as attention turned to a tight race for third between Butterfield and Derrick DeFord, before DeFord dove to the infield two laps from the checkers. Benischek would hold off the charging Delonjay for the win, Butterfield came next in front of yet another local hot shoe, Spencer Coats, and Travis Demint. 

   There was still a large contingent of fans on hand as a dozen Crown Vics lined up for fifteen laps. Clean sweeps was the theme of the night, and it would be no different in this finale. Jacob Jones put his #32 out front on lap one, pulling well ahead of the pack. Late Model local Jeffrey Delonjay climbed in a Vic for the night and was closing on the leader in traffic ahead of a caution flag at the halfway mark. But with clear track ahead, Jones again drove away, surviving one more yellow flag two laps from the finish. The single file restart proved no issue as Jones picked up the win. Brian Kaylor worked his way to runner up honors followed by Isaac Little, Alex Hatfield, and Carter Goodwin. 

   Kudos to the track crew for overcoming challenging conditions, and to the fans who turned out in large numbers. There will be no racing this Sunday at Quincy Raceways, they will be back in action next Sunday, May 24. Meanwhile the MARS stars and cars move south to the Highland, Il. Speedway tonight, Saturday, before winding up the weekend at Coles County, Il Speedway on Sunday.